The present disclosure relates generally to a point-of-transaction, checkout workstation through which retail products associated with electro-optically readable targets are passed and processed, and, more particularly, to an arrangement for, and a method of, reducing weighing errors associated with a weighing scale at the workstation.
In the retail industry, it is known to read targets, such as one-dimensional bar code symbols, particularly of the Universal Product Code (UPC) type, and two-dimensional bar code symbols, such as Quick Response (QR) codes, associated with, or borne on, retail products that are passed through, and processed by, a dual window, multi-plane, or bi-optical checkout workstation. The bi-optical workstation has a horizontal bed for supporting a generally horizontal window, and a raised tower for supporting a generally vertical or upright window. The workstation can have either laser-based or imager-based readers for reading the targets passed by, or presented to either or both windows, and is typically installed in a checkout counter. For products that are sold on the basis of their weight, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, nuts, fish, bakery items, candies, etc., it is known to incorporate a weighing scale into the workstation. A horizontal platform of the scale supports the horizontal window. The scale measures the product weight, and a price of the product is calculated based on a unit weight price and the product weight measured by the scale. An operator typically looks up the unit weight price manually, either by touching a picture of the product on an adjacent touch screen at the workstation, or by referring to a printed list of the products and their corresponding unit weight prices. The corresponding unit weight price is manually entered via entry on an adjacent keyboard at the workstation, and the product price calculated automatically when the product is weighed. If the product bears an identifying symbol, then the symbol is automatically read by at least one of the readers; the corresponding unit weight price is automatically retrieved from a price database; and the product price calculated automatically when the product is weighed.
However, as advantageous as the use of such a scale has been, one concern relates to weighing errors. If the product to be weighed is bulky and oversized and overhangs an edge of the scale, an erroneous measurement may be returned by the scale. For example, if the product to be weighed partially rests on some surface or object other than the scale, such as the counter, or the upright window, or the raised tower, or a nearby keyboard, cash register, card reader, or like device, then the scale may return a lower weight, thereby resulting in the customer being undercharged for the product and a monetary loss for the retailer.
The art has proposed using light sensors to detect when an oversized product overhangs the scale onto the counter, and then alerting an operator to reposition the product. However, this repositioning action may or may not be possible, or an operator may disregard the alert, thereby resulting in an underweight being measured. The art has also proposed placing an L-shaped platter on the workstation for movement with the scale. The platter has an upright windowed panel that overlies the horizontal window, and an upright windowed panel that overlies the upright window. Although a correct weight is measured when the product only contacts the platter, an erroneous weight measurement will still result if the product extends beyond the platter and contacts some other surface or object, such as the raised tower, or a nearby keyboard, cash register, card reader, or like device.
Accordingly, the need persists to reduce weighing errors of a product being weighed on a weighing scale at a retail checkout workstation to prevent undercharging the customer and monetary loss for the retailer.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and locations of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
The method and arrangement components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein.